Editing Edwin Boring (section)

==Early life==
Boring was born on October 23, 1886, in [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]] and grew up in a [[Quaker]] family interested in science. His elder sister was the zoologist, [[Alice Middleton Boring]]. In 1904, Boring attended [[Cornell University]], where he studied electrical engineering. He earned a ME degree in electrical engineering in 1908 and then took a job at [[Bethlehem Steel]] in [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania]]. Boring returned to Cornell for an AM in physics, but he was instead drawn to the world of psychology by [[I. Madison Bentley]]'s animal psychology course.<ref name="autobio"/>

Boring notes that his interest in psychology had already begun in 1905, when he took an elementary psychology class as an elective while pursuing his engineering degree. Bentley's course was under the professorship of [[Edward B. Titchener]] and captured Boring's attention. On one test Boring received back, Titchener had written "''You'' have the psychological point of view!" (p.&nbsp;31).<ref name="autobio">Boring, E. G. (Ed.) & Gardner, L. (Ed.). (1967). A history of psychology in autobiography. ''The Century Psychology Series'', 5, 449-475. Connecticut: Appleton-Century-Crofts.</ref> It was that remark that stuck with him and guided him toward psychology when he arrived at Cornell for the second time.<ref name="autobio"/>

Boring's minor research strayed too far from Titchener's definition of psychology. It was at Titchener's suggestion that he decided to do his thesis on visceral sensibility. He conducted the study by placing a stomach tube in his own [[stomach]] to learn more about the sensations of the alimentary tract.<ref name="autobio"/> The results indicated that the stomach and [[esophagus]] were more sensitive to temperature and pressure than had been realized.<ref name="bio"/> The studies indicate his interest, from an early age, in the physical and experimental components of psychology. In 1914, Boring's efforts were rewarded when he received his PhD.<ref name="autobio"/>

While he was completing his studies, Boring and his wife, Lucy M. Day, joined Titchener's lab group and became part of Titchener's selective in-group.<ref name="bio"/> Most of their time at Cornell was spent working on Titchener's research projects. During Boring's time at Cornell, he developed a close relationship with Titchener, one that continued until Titchener's death, in 1927.<ref name="autobio"/> Boring felt deep respect for Titchener and admired his dedication to his work. In his autobiography, he even remarked that he believed Titchener to be the closest to genius of anyone he knew.<ref name="autobio"/>

Titchener presented Boring with his first opportunity not only to teach but also to practice writing about the history of experimental psychology. Titchener wanted to redesign a systematic psychology course and enlisted his graduate students to do the job.<ref name="autobio"/> It was a large task; the course covered the entire history of psychology in 3 lectures a week for 2 years.<ref name="autobio"/> Boring and the rest of the team read through German literature on [[experimental psychology]] and many other primary sources of information to complete this project.<ref name="autobio"/> The finished product was a 200-lecture course.<ref name="autobio"/> The task sparked Boring's interest in the history that shaped the field; it would also serve as great training for Boring's later publication of his own text, ''The History of Experimental Psychology'', in 1929.<ref name="autobio"/> The work also gave Boring experience in teaching psychology. He continued to teach psychology at Cornell for 4 years but was glad when the war forced him to leave this position, as he felt that Cornell did not need him.<ref name="autobio"/>